And the people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’ ~Numbers 21:5
T he reading from Numbers tells us of one incident in which the Israelites murmured against God during the time they wandered in the wilderness. They were dissatisfied with the food, the manna, which the Lord had provided. The people were still looking back to the good food they had in Egypt. They forgot that they had been slaves there.
In the midst of trials and difficulties, I have often been tempted to look back fondly to the good old days before I was a Christian. Maybe you have too. Maybe you have looked at the pleasures and riches that others who are not Christians have and desired the same things. Maybe like me you often think things would be better if you were not a Christian. You could do whatever you liked and would be accountable to no one but yourself.
When I think such things the Lord reminds me that when I was not a Christian, I was always in bondage to shame and fear. And I had no relief from those feelings because the one who shamed me most was the one I feared the most: the Lord. But now the Word of God assures me of His unconditional mercy and love. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV) Why would I want to go back to slavery?